Packing of cigarettes and the like



June 21, J c G PACKING OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 7 6/7 for J/forfleg J. CRIGHTON PACKING OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE June 21, 1938.

Filed Feb l 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ji j/fa/w e y June 21, 1 938. QN 2,121,187

PACKING 0F CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PACKING OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE John Crighton, London, England, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 1, 1937, Serial No. 123,512 In Great Britain February 1, 1936 9 Claims.

This invention relates to the packing of cigarettes or like shaped articles and has particular reference to the type of packing machine in which the cigarettes or the like are fed from a hopper or supply into a vaned element or receiver which is divided into a plurality of compartments each of a width adapted to accommodate a single cigarette whereby the cigarettes may be suitably arranged for subsequent operations. The vaned receiver may comprise a feed throat of the hopper, or may comprise a series of vanes fixed upon a table element to form spaces into which cigarettes are delivered from the hopper, or again it may comprise a vaned element mounted upon the table. The cigarettes are removed from the vaned receiver by a reciprocating plunger and delivered to appropriate means whereby the cigarettes in the batch are given relative lateral movement to close up the spaces. The plunger at its forward end is provided with a number of parallel cuts to accommodate the partitions in the mouth or outlet.

It will be appreciated that the cigarettes which lie outermost in the batch will be given a lateral movement during the space closing operation and it has been found that by contact of the trailing ends of the cigarettes with the ends of the teeth of the plunger the cigarettes become damaged.

The lateral movement is also imparted in decreasing amounts to the other cigarettes in the batch so that a considerable number of cigarettes may ultimately have, their ends damaged to a greater or less degree.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved cigarette transferring means whereby the above disadvantages are eliminated.

According to one feature of the invention the forward end of the plunger of a cigarette transfern'ng device of the type described is of concavelike formation (as viewed in plan) whereby obstructions to the ends of the laterally moving cigarettes are avoided.

The concave formation may be obtained by stepping back the teeth of the plunger so that each will present a squared end.

According to a further feature of the invention the leading ends of the partitions in the vaned receiver are progressively shorter from the centre to the outside partitions to present a V formation as seen in plan.

Further features of the invention will be hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cigarette collecting device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan corresponding thereto, while Figure 3 is an end elevation.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode as applied for example to a cigarette packeting machine having a cigarette feed hopper as described in British patent application No. 32,189 of 1935, the hopper delivers a plurality of cigarettes from the chute or mouth A into a vaned table element In which is provided with vertical partitions I I to form a plurality of cigarette receiving spaces I2. The number of partitions may vary according to the number of cigarettes to form a batch. Thus nine partitions may be provided, as shown, forming together with the side walls I3 ten spaces. The parts of the partitions I I which project above the table level are of progressively varying lengths, the central partitions being the longest while the outer partitions are the shortest so that the forward ends I I of the partitions, as viewed in plan, present more or less a V formation as indicated by the broken line w-:1:, the angle of the V being about 114 or other suitable angle. The vaned element ID is built up as a solid block by bolts 26 which hold the vanes II and spacers I2 together, the whole being adjustably secured to the framing by angles 21.

Co-operating with the vaned element I is a plunger I4 the forward end of which is of comb formation so that the teeth I5 will pass between the partitions II as the plunger reciprocates to remove the cigarettes from the spaces of the vaned element into a closing-in device by which the cigarettes are moved laterally into a batch.

The leading ends I6 of the teeth I5 of the plunger are progressively shorter from the outer teeth to the inner so that the end of the plunger, as seen in plan, presents a flat concave formation indicated by the broken curved line y-y.

The ends of the teeth I5, however, present surfaces for engagement with the ends of the cigarette which are at right-angles to the direction of movement of the plunger I4. The plunger I4 is fixed to a crosshead I'I mounted to reciprocate upon guide rods I8, the crosshead being coupled to a lever I9 by a link 20. The lever in turn is coupled to a crank disc 2| by a link 22 whereby the desired reciprocations are imparted to the plunger.

The guide rods I8 are carried by brackets 23 from the side plates 24 of the machine. The lever I9 is pivoted on a bracket 25.

Arranged forwardly of the vaned element II] is a passageway or channel 28 having guide wall-s 29 which adjacent the element II] are in alignment with the side walls I3 thereof, and then converge and continue parallel at a distance appropriate to the space required for the cigarettes when in closed relation.

The converging parts of the guide wall comprise fiat concave-convex portions as seen in Figure 2 such that the outer cigarettes in the batch have imparted to them a two part turning or twisting movement, whereby the leading ends of the cigarettes are caused to turn inwardly followed by an inward turning of the trailing ends as the cigarettes are transferred from the vaned element to the closing-up device by" the plunger;

A similar composite but progressively smaller movement will be imparted to the cigarettes disposed inwardly of the batch while the innermost cigarette will move ina straight line.

The Walls 29 are mounted upon a table 30 so that they may be adjusted longitudinally and transversely.

The passageway or channel 28 is continued by a pair of walls 3| which conform to the spacing between the parallel parts of the walls 2 9: and which are adjustable transversely.

The cigarettes when closed up in the passageway: 28 are'adapted to be conveyed forwardly by a. batch collecting device moving in an orbital path. comprising endless chains 32 having a spaced series of dogs 33; adapted to engage the rear ends'of; the cigarettes.

It will be appreciated that the batch of cigarettes should be in a position, for engagement by the dogs 33 such that at the time of. contact the surface of the dog is at right-angles to the axes of the cigarettes, otherwise the trailing ends of the cigarettes are liable to be damaged. In order that the closed up batch may be moved to the desired position for engagement by the dogs without making the stroke of the plunger l4 excessive, a supplementary conveying means is provided which moves the-batch from the position corresponding to the end of' the forward stroke of the plunger and conveys it forwardly for engagement by the dogs. This intermediate conveyal' is effected during the return stroke of the plunger.

The supplementary conveying means comprises a reciprocating angle element or claw 34 which is carried by anarm 35.pivotally mounted upon By mounting the arm 35 pivotally on the slider 36 a pivotal movement will be imparted to said arm at the ends of the stroke'of the crank prior:

to the slider 36 beingmoved. Such pivotal movement brings the claw 34 into or out of the path of movement of the cigarettes.

Thus with the parts as shown in Figure 1, the crank Mwvill pull on.-the link 4! and pivot the arm 35, until the part 31 engages the stop 38. This movement brings the claw 34-downward behind the cigarettes located in the passageway 28. Continued movement of thecrank causes the slider 36 to move to the right whereby the claw 34 will engage the cigarettes and move them along the passageway. At the end. of the stroke as the crank beginsthe-return stroke the arm 35 will again-be pivoted raising the claw 34 out ofthe path of the-dogs 33-and'bri'ngingthe part 3-1 into engagement with the stop 39 whereupon the slider will be moved to the left.

The slider 36 ismounted in a guiding block 43 which is slottedto -accommodate the bolt 44- on which the arm 35 is pivoted. The bolt isprovided with a spring pressed-washer 45 engaging a face 46 on the guiding block and providing a friction brake to ensure the pivotal movements of theclaw beforemovement of the slider takes place.

The crank disc '21 and crank arm 42 mainterconnected and driven from the shaft 41 through bevel gears 48, 49 and 50.

In operation, asthe plunger [4 moves on its forward stroke and the teeth 15 enter between the partitions l l, the cigarettes are removed from the vaned element I 0 in a forward direction. As the leading ends of the outer cigarettes of the batch engage the concave portions 29a of the guide or walls 29 such ends are turned inwardly toward the centre of the batch. This turning movement is permitted by the setting back of the forward edges Ila. of the partitions thus avoiding any tendency to bend the cigarettes.

As the transferring movement continues the leading ends of the outer cigarettes engage the convexparts 29b of the guides or walls 29 and subsequently the parallel portions 290. This causes the trailing ends of the'cigarettes to move inward giving the cigarettes a second twisting movement. By the stepping'backof the forward ends lfi of the teeth of the plunger It. this second part of the movement is accomplished without damagingv the rear ends of the cigarettes as the stepping is sufiicient to give a clearance to the inwardly moving cigarette end. It will be appreciated that the inner cigarettes of the batch will also have the twisting movement imparted to them by-contact with the outer cigarettes but inprogressively lesser degrees, the movements of the innermost cigarettes being substantially straight line movements.

When the batch is located between the parallel portion 290 of the guide walls 29 and the plunger has retreated, the cigarettes will be in closed-up relation but will be staggered axially 1 corresponding to the concavity of the plunger. This staggering will be eliminated by the action of the claw member 34 which aligns the cigarettes during its-conveyal of the cigarettes to a position-in which the batch is removed by one of the dogs 33 of the conveyor which transfers the cigarettes to the packing machine or the like.

1. Apparatus for transferring a batch of cigarettes comprising a vaned receiver, means to charge said receiver with cigarettes by moving a supply of cigarettes sidewise into the spaces between the vanes in the receiver, means for advancing said cigarettes endwise from said spaces, and means for concurrently closing said cigarettes sidewise, said cigarette-advancing means comprising a plunger having a plurality of spaced teeth, means for reciprocating the plunger to cause the teeth to enter the spaces between the vanes of said receiver, the forward ends of the teeth imparting a concave end to the plunger as seen in plan, and said concave leading end of the plunger acting to advance a batch of cigarettes from said receiver to said closing-up means with the leading ends of the batch components in concave disposition and the trailing ends of the batch components in convex disposition as said concave batch-end enters said closing-up means.

2. Apparatus for transferring a batch of cigarettes comprising a vaned receiver, means to charge said' receiver by moving a supply of cigarettes sidewise into the spaces between the vanes in said receiver, means for advancing said cigarettes endwise from said spaces, and means for concurrently closing said: cigarettes sidewise, said cigarette-advancing means comprising a plunger having a plurality of spaced teeth, means for reciprocating the plunger to cause the teeth to enter the spaces between the vanes of said receiver, the forward ends of the teeth being progressively stepped back from the outer to the innermost teeth, and means for closing the cigarettes as they are advanced from said receiver while constituting a batch having a concave leading edge and a convex trailing edge, being so maintained by said stepped back forward ends of Said teeth.

3 Apparatus for transferring a batch of cigarettes comprising a vaned receiver, means to charge said receiver by moving a supply of cigarettes sidewise into the spaces between the vanes in said receiver, means for advancing the cigarettes endwise from said spaces, and means for concurrently closing up said cigarettes sidewise, said cigarette-advancing means comprising a plunger having a plurality of spaced teeth, means for reciprocating the plunger to cause the teeth to enter the spaces between the vanes of said receiver, the forward ends of the teeth being progressively stepped back from the outer to the innermost teeth, said ends comprising surfaces at right angles to the direction of movement of the plunger, and said teeth being maintained in engagement with the trailing ends of the cigarettes until the concave forward end of the group has entered for a substantial distance into said closing means.

4. Apparatus for concurrently transferring endwise and closing up sidewise a batch of cigarettes; said apparatus comprising a vaned receiver formed with a series of vanes disposed side by side with intervening spaces; means for closing up said batch of cigarettes sidewise; a plunger having a plurality of spaced teeth arranged with their leading ends in concave disposition and their trailing ends in convex disposition; means for reciprocating said plunger to cause the teeth to enter the spaces between the vanes of said receiver intermittently, the leading edges of said vanes being stepped back from the center vanes to the outer vanes, to conform to a V-formation as seen in plan, and said plunger acting to initiate removal of said cigarettes from said receiver in a batch having a concave leading edge and a convex trailing edge, until said batch enters said closing-up means.

5. Apparatus for transferring a batch of cigarettes axially from a vaned receiver of the type formed with a series of vanes disposed side by side with intervening spaces; said apparatus comprising a plunger having a plurality of spaced teeth, the forward ends of which are stepped back from the outer teeth to the innermost teeth; means for moving the plunger to cause the teeth to enter the spaces between the vanes of said receiver and thereby to advance the cigarettes through and out of the receiver by a unitary push, the cigarettes being grouped to form a batch having collectively a concave leading edge and a collective convex trailing edge; the leading edges of said vanes being stepped back from the centre vanes to the outer vanes; and a transversely closing means comprising a pair of spaced guide walls having divergent parts of substantially ogee curvature, disposed in position to receive the batch advanced by said unitary movement of the plunger and adapted to cause a lateral inward movement of the leading ends of the outer cigarettes of the batch followed by a lateral inward moveleading ends of adjacent cigarettes, due to said stepped position of the plunger teeth, and'also facilitated by said stepped back disposition of the leading edges of the vanes.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a reciprocating conveyor means is provided adapted to engage the closed up batch of cigarettes and advance them to a transfer station; and a continuously operating conveyor having a dog adapted to be engaged with said batch at said transfer station, and to advance said batch for further operation thereupon.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a reciprocating conveyor means is provided adapted to engage the closed up batch of cigarettes and advance them to a transfer station; said reciprocating conveyor means comprises a claw pivotally mounted upon a slider, a crank device, and a coupling between the claw and crank whereby the slider is reciprocated and the claw is pivoted to or from an operative position at the ends of the reciprocations; and an endless belt conveyor having a series of dogs moved by continuous movement of saidbelt conveyor at a relatively rapid rate in an orbit intersecting the path of ad- N outer cigarettes to protrude beyond the mean forward edge of the batch, leaving the'leading ends of several cigarettes near the lateral margins of the batch free to be inclined toward the next inward members of the batch; guides to effectinward inclination of said free leading ends while still protruding, and to maintain said batch under lateral compression; means operable in a reciprocating hooking orbit toengage the convexly disposed trailing ends of the cigarettes and to draw the batch forward, at the same time rectifying the rear convexity of the batch and consequently the front concavity of the batch, to create an even disposition of the cigarette ends both front and rear; and a rapid-running endless conveyor having a series of dogs each adapted to engage the evened rear end of the batch and to advance the batch bodily.

9. The method of forming and perfecting batches of cigarettes for a packaging operation, said method comprising the assembly of a suitable number of cigarettes in side by side disposition and with only approximate alignment as to longitudinal relative position; the step of advancing said cigarettes individually to create a leading pack edge of concavely arcuate shape; the step of forcing said concavely arcuate leading edge of said batch, into a space more confined in cross-section than the initial cross-sectional area of the batch; the step of evening-up the leading and trailing ends of the batch by pressure applied exclusively to the convexly disposed trailing ends of the middle cigarettes collectively, to wedge the middle of the pack between the leading ends of the side components; and the step of advancing the batch to a packaging station.

JOHN CRIGHTON. 

